Please help.

[onelongnightmare]

One month ago I was exposed to herpes (not sure if hsv1 or hsv2). The doctor swabbed and sent in for skin culture and confirmed. When I asked which type she replied "It's hsv2 because it's genital." Most doctors seem to know so little about HSV and that doesn't make me feel at ease.

 

My initial genital outbreak lasted three days. I did not have oozing blisters. More like a cluster of razor bumps that did not burst and went back down. I have not had a second outbreak.

 

I've never had a cold sore in my life but I also had my first oral blister during my genital outbreak!!

 

To make matters even more devastating, I had a swollen, painful thumb (no blisters) for three weeks which I am fairly sure is herpetic whitlow. It was painful, swollen and red all around the cuticle. It is still healing.

 

I have swollen lymph nodes in my groin and throat that have gotten larger recently. They have not gone back down but I have read they can stay swollen for a while as the body fights the virus.

 

I have been experiencing burning in my right eye for the past month. I have never felt any burning in my eyes like this. No blurriness or watering. It feels like there's something in my eye and it just burns. I'm not sure if this is associated with ocular herpes.

 

Did I experience my first oral, genital, herpetic whitlow AND potentially ocular herpes all at once? I've never had a cold sore but when I had my genital outbreak I had my first cold sore and also herpetic whitlow AND ocular herpes symptoms?

 

Please help. I have not been able to sleep at all due to this stressful experience.

[whitedaisies]

Hi

 

I went thru exactly the same thing as u (minus the thumb)

 

Is it possible yea....is it probable likely not

 

You may have hsv1 or 2. Because u have it genitally does not mean its 2. I have 1 down there. Type is not based on location it is based on type period. Get a blood test for herpes. You have to specifically ask for it to see your status. If it is a new infection it may come up negative. Test at 4 and 6 month post exposure to confirm results.

 

Blood test wot tell u u have it on genitals, mouth, eye etc just that u have it.

 

Only way to tell where is to swab anything suspicious. Type testing should be available on swabs I don't know what ur dr is talking about

 

Sometimes the body reacts to a h virus as a "reaction" and not necessarily u have herpes in that location. So I got weird mere issues everywhere after h. Burning in eyes nose ears mouth incessantly. It wasn't h it was post viral syndrome. Had that ongoing....still here yay!

 

So best to just swab anything suspicious so u know

 

Take a deep breat....I hear ya....weird stuff happened to me but it will settle and u will feel u again soon

 

Hugs

[onelongnightmare]

@whitedaisies Thank you for your reply. Does this mean you contracted hsv1 orally and genitally at the same time? Also, how long did the burning in your eyes last? Did you get it checked for ocular herpes? Thanks again. *hug*

[whitedaisies]

Yup got it the same time. That's usually the case when u get it in both areas....ur body doesn't have antibodies. Usually when ur body has one type in one location, after ur body builds antibodies u can't get t in another

 

It later a while on and off. I never proved it was ocular h and I had a few dr look and call me Xxeazy

 

The virus can travel along the nerve to ur eye but as u build antibodies ur body will fight it better and it shouldn't happen if its h

 

Best to go to an optimologist to find out and they can Ben swab ur eye

 

Bodies can do weird things when they are fighting stung especially h viruses. Basically my advice is to swab anything suspicious in any area to make sure so u are not worried for no reason

 

 

Hugs back

 

[WCSDancer2010]

@onelongnightmare

 

Hello and Welcome!

 

Sorry you have had such a rough introduction to Herpes. I can tell you though that it WILL get better ... remember that the average person lives about 4000 weeks and so dealing with something for 4 weeks is a tiny drop in the "bucket of life". I know it feels like forever right now but over time this will be just one of many challenges we face in our lifetime.

 

So - sadly your Dr is right up there with a large majority of Dr's who are behind the times on Herpes research simply because it's regarded as a "nuisance skin condition in an inconvenient place". Doctors are inundated with new information and research every day to they have to prioritize what they study, and I'm afraid that Cancer, Stroke, Mental Illness and the like are well above something that won't kill you. To THEM, it doesn't matter if you have H1 or 2 down there ... they treat it the same. So it's no biggie as far as they are concerned. What is not being recognized is that there is a lot of resulting mental anguish (and possible mental illness in the form of depression and anxiety) thanks to the way that this is HANDLED (the virus is not to blame for this issue). So perhaps at some point you could educate your Dr a little and let her know that it DOES matter to us to know which one we have (so we know if we need to protect a partner who may ... or may not ... have the same strain as us).... and that all Genital H is NOT HSV2 ... you can download and print this page from the CDC (I'd give you our info but a Dr is more likely to believe a CDC doc) with the places I have marked in the quote highlighted and underlined. The more WE can do to educate the medical professionals the better this will be for people who are diagnosed in the future... sorta passing if forward, ya know?

 

http://www.cdc.gov/std/Herpes/STDFact-Herpes-detailed.htm

 

How common is genital herpes?

 

CDC estimates that, annually, 776,000 people in the United States get new herpes infections.23. Genital herpes infection is common in the United States. Nationwide, 15.5 % of persons aged 14 to 49 years have HSV-2 infection. 22 The overall prevalence of genital herpes is likely higher than 15.5%, because an increasing number of genital herpes infections are caused by HSV-1. 2 HSV-1 is typically acquired in childhood; as the prevalence of HSV-1 infection has declined in recent decades, people may have become more susceptible to genital herpes from HSV-1.

 

As for all your symptoms ... it would be VERY unusual to get it in all 4 places unless you are already severely immune compromised or have incredibly poor hygiene. Not to say it couldn't happen, but it's pretty darned rare to get it in 2 places at once ... so your odds are pretty minimal. Often with new HSV diagnosis comes a "OMG I have Herpes EVERYWHERE" side effect where people start noticing everything that would have barely made their radar in the past and they think it's all Herpes related because they spent too much time on Google getting freaked out.

 

If you had an oral blister on the inside of the mouth that is far more likely to be a Cankar Sore (totally different issue and not contagious)... they often come up when people are sick/stressed. The finger? Well, without a swab, you won't know it it's a bacterial infection (very possible) or H. :/

 

That said, my biggest concern is the eye. I would get to an eye Dr and get it looked at. It's VERY easy to treat there (Ocular H is most common in kids because they pick the scabs on their lip then poke their eyes and so they are used to treating it at an Eye Dr). they have eye drops that should clear it right up. I wouldn't leave that untreated because the eyes are so sensitive... the rest of the body will eventually get it under control (wherever it is) and life will go on.

 

Herpes really doesn't like to reside in the areas that it's not designed for. I'm *guessing* you have HSV1 by how fast the symptoms disappeared in the genitals. You may want to go for a blood test now ... it will tell you if you already had it in the system (likely orally if it's H1) which would explain why it cleared so fast down below.

 

You WILL be fine friend. I'm a 35 yr Veteran of GH2 and OH1 for 49 yrs (got it as a child) and I've had a great life. You can find amazing love and have a wonderful life once you get past the diagnosis phase and get used to living with a virus that mostly behaves itself and occasionally comes out to play ... usually when you are neglecting yourself in one way or another ... sorta like a First Responder for stress ;)

 

(((HUGS)))

 

Handouts/info

http://eepurl.com/b4IPP

 

http://herpeslife.com/hsv-1-hsv-2-types-of-herpes/

 

Herpes facts video

 

[onelongnightmare]

@WCDSDancer2010 Thank you! I will print that all out and go to the doctor. One question I have is, how is it possible that I never had a cold sore but after exposure had cold sore (on outside of lip, dozed, honey crusted) AND genital outbreak? Did I contract oral and genital at the same time?

 

Is it also possible for the oral to be HSV2 and will prefer not to stay in the oral area?

[WCSDancer2010]

That does sound like an oral OB ... so you just got unlucky and got it in both places at once. Did the guy have a cold sore when you got together? Did you have chapped lips at the time? Sounds like you got a big dose of HSV1 from oral sex and kissing.

 

It's VERY unlikely you would have HSV2 orally ... only 1% of all oral H is HSV2 ... it REALLY doesn't like that area ... but the only way to be sure is to get it swabbed when it's open.

[onelongnightmare]

@WCSDancer2010 He did not have any cold sores nor did he gave any lesions in his genital area. The only other answer is that he was shedding. I did partake in oral so do you think its possible for me to get HSV2 orally from his genitals?

 

[WCSDancer2010]

No - I think you have HSV1 genitally and orally .... did he give you oral? If so, odds are that is what you have in both places

[onelongnightmare]

@WCSDancer2010 No, he did not give me oral. And he wore a condom. Which I know is not a fool proof barrier but I'm just wondering how I got oral and genital outbreak. Does this mean he also has hsv1 genital?